Welcome

This is the official ISO 20252 Market, opinion and social research, including insights and data analytics website powered by the International Standards Association (ISO).

The ISO 20252 standard is developed and managed by the ISO TC 225 committee whose objective is to maintain, and keep up to date, a single, comprehensive quality standard that sets out guidance and requirements directly relating to the way in which market, opinion and social research, including insights and data analytics projects are planned, carried out, supervised and reported to the clients commissioning such projects. The standard covers all stages of a research project from initial contact between client and service provider to presentation of results to the client.

Key benefits of adopting ISO 20252

ISO standards unify the criteria for the procedure of work and establish level of requirements for the provision of the service. Consequences of this work will be to remove possible trade barriers between regions or countries of the world; and to enable research users to conduct research across many countries with increased confidence that the work will be conducted consistently and on a comparable basis from country to country.

Benefits Include

Global Recognition
ISO is recognized globally is as the standards authority.

Global Management
ISO 20252 provides a tool for managing global offices, multiple project teams, and outsourced suppliers to a level of quality consistent with company protocol.

Risk Mitigation
ISO 20252 is based on risk mitigation. In a global, changing world, risk management is a critical factor in business sustainability.

For example: An ISO 20252 Research Management System (RMS) system delivers “proof” of risk controls including data protection and security addressing GDPR, Data Privacy Framework (EU/US, UK extension to EU/US (incl. Gibraltar), EU/Swiss) and other local privacy, data protection and information security requirements and client concerns.

Compliance 
Ensures research is methodologically sound, verifiable and transparent across projects and geographies.

Increased Efficiency and Revenue
Studies reflect that companies implementing ISO 20252 experience increased productivity and improved financial performance, compared to those that don't. This is due to less re-work, improved employee production and greater client satisfaction.

Quality Outcomes
Companies that go through implementation create a Research Management System which maximizes operational quality and efficiency. Once implemented, the processes are established and guidelines in place for anyone to follow easily, making training, transitions, and trouble-shooting easier.

Employee Morale and Training
Defined roles and responsibilities, accountability of management, established training systems and a clear picture of how their roles affect quality and the overall success of the company, all contribute to more satisfied and motivated staff and ease of training new recruits.

Supplier Relationships and Control
As more processes are outsourced for efficiency and to access data in global markets, supplier relationships and quality control are increasingly critical to producing accurate and actionable data. Implementing the ISO research and insights standard requires a company to have systems in place to ensure that a supplier understands those relevant requirements.

Techno-faced Framework
Enables a systematic approach to the integration of technologies and new methodologies within project management.

Reputation and Market Advantage
Certification signals commitment to quality and integrity, enhancing credibility with clients, regulators, and international partners. 

Ethical Standards
Promotes confidentiality, participant anonymity, and compliance with privacy regulations. 

Client Relationship Management
Promoted and maintained throughout project lifecycle.

2019 version of the standard (in process of being phased out)

ISO 20252:2019 establishes terms, definitions, and service requirements for 
organizations conducting market, opinion, and social research, including insights 
and data analytics.  It applies to all service providers regardless of methodology 
and excludes non-research activities like direct marketing. This version of the
standard covers a core framework (Clause 4) and six annexes (A, B, C, D, E, F) covering globally recognized research methodologies. 

Key Components of ISO 20252:2019

• Scope and Normative References: Defines the standard’s applicability and 
  references, with no mandatory external references. 
• Terms and Definitions: Provides a comprehensive glossary to ensure clarity 
  and consistency across research projects. 
• Core Framework (Clause 4): Mandatory across all organizational types, and establishes the research management system framework for service providers, covering project management, data handling 
  and reporting
• Annexes A–F: Detail methodology-specific requirements, 
  allowing organizations to align practices with particular research methods and demonstrate conformity. 

Key Components of ISO 20252:2026

• Scope: Defines the business services applicability in relation to ISO 20252.
• Core Framework (Clause 4): Mandatory across all organizational types and establishes the research management system for business infrastructure
  requirements, risk management and governance requirements. Includes business
  planning, resourcing and subcontractor management, information
  security, legal, regulatory, internal audit and management review and improvement.
• Project Management Lifecycle Annexes A–G: Detail methodology-specific requirements, allowing organizations to align practices with particular 
  research methods and demonstrate conformity. For this version of the standard,
  Annex A Sampling and Annex G Panels have been revised to reflect increased data quality requirements.